The Original Runaways

CH-CH-CH-CHERRY BOMB!!!!  No, I don’t have a form of literary Tourette’s Syndrome (or maybe I do) but even a month after seeing The Runaways (the movie!), I’ve got the cherry bomb ringing in my head.  Well, that’s probably because on any given Friday night, you can hear my daughter and her faux-band, The Cherry Bombs, with her guitar amped up to a conservative kind-of-loud, practising their Runaways tune in her third floor bedroom.  CH-CH-CH-CHERRY BOMB!!!!!  I feel sorry for the neighbours…no, I don’t.  Neighbour boy used to practise drums super-loud during the week nights, now it’s their turn to enjoy the music!   I’d say the neighbour boy should be their drummer but they are an all-girl band.  In fact the movie, The Runaways,  is playing at the Fox Theatre this week, check here for show times.  I totally recommend this film for young and “zoomers.” I just learned this term today, we are boomers with ooompff, (don’t worry I’m only going to entertain the term for this one post).  It’s one of the best depictions of the seventies I’ve seen: hair (hideously fantastic), makeup (classic, still wearing mine that way) , clothes(tight, ridiculously sex-say), architecture (Brady Bunch).   It’s a story of one of the first all-girl bands to make it big, and we’ve come a long way since then.  And now you don’t have to go far to hear young and talented women playing music.  Two of my favourite girl crushes are East End ladies, Melanie Peterson, and Diana Zitmanis.

Melanie Peterson teaches my daughter the guitar, everything from the Runaways, The Ramones,  Smiths (the quintessential zoomer band) to the Kooks(who?  that’s okay, the modern-day Smiths).  She and her band play locally as well as at the Liberty Bistro every 4th Saturday of every month, see below for this month’s date.  She’s got a unique acoustic sound described as 60’s Coffeehouse style.   Check out her music here.

And go see her live on May 22 at the Liberty Bistro , 25 Liberty Street at 8pm and 10pm, featuring Blue Venus.  Make it a field trip!

And another local super talented songstress is Diana Z.  The girl I want to be (if I wasn’t such a homebody)…Miss Z travels from here to Alaska (definitely one of the most interesting Facebook friends to have!) and all over.  Diana Z has a really cool song called “The Coffee Song” and it’s on her website…take a listen and take the time to vote for her for LILITH FAIR!     Go to Diana’s website here, instructions for voting on the right….and VOTE!!!  So  cool if she wins!!

My fave fun fact is Diana’s inspiration at 5 years old was watching the video of Abba’s Waterloo!  I had to check it out, I don’t even know that song even though I’m a zoomer, watch it here….umm, okay, she’s so much cooler!!! CH-CH- CH-CHERRY BOMB!  Keep on rocking, ladies, see you at your next show!